Two Catholic churches in Singapore, Church of St Mary of the Angels and Church of Christ the King, are offering shelter to homeless people.

The parishes are located at Bukit Batok and in Ang Mo Kio respectively.

First religious groups to do so

According to The Straits Times (ST), this initiative was started by a local organisation, Catholic Welfare Services (CWS), to provide shelter to people who turn to them for help.

Homeless people who are referred by CWS can sleep in these churches' classrooms from 9pm to 7am the next day.

They are provided with mattresses, pillows, and fans.

In January 2018, CWS reportedly first approached Church of Christ the King when temperatures in Singapore fell to 21 degrees. The charity asked if the parish could provide homeless people a place out of the cold.

So far, according to ST, about 25 people have stayed at Church of Christ the King.

About 290 homeless seek government help each year

According to ST, an average of 290 individuals received help at Ministry of Social and Family development- funded facilities in the last three years.

All of them were either homeless, destitute or found sleeping in public places.

The CWS shared with ST that some homeless people might have rental flats but choose not to live there for various reasons. Others moved out of their family homes because they cannot get along with their family members.

In response to ST's queries, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said:

"The MSF is working with some religious groups that have expressed interest to open up their premises to the homeless after they have completed ongoing or upcoming renovation works at their premises.

We are also partnering community groups active in befriending and engaging persons who sleep in public places, to strengthen our outreach so that we can better coordinate support for them, understand their circumstances and work with community partners to resolve the issues."

Food distribution and donated meals

This is not the only CWS initiative that reaches out to the needy.

Since May 2014, its volunteers have been distributing food and drinks to people sleeping on the streets.

According to the CWS website, these volunteers hand out food and talk to the homeless to learn about their plight before offering help.

The CWS also operates a Food Relief Programme which provides supplementary food like rice and cooking oil to the poor, sick destitute, unemployed needy and their families.

The charity also allows the homeless to use its Waterloo Street office facilities such as computers and showers during office hours.

According to a programme volunteer who spoke to ST, most of the homeless whom the charity encounters are men in their 40s to 70s.

Many of them have a job but can't afford housing because of their meagre income.

Top image via the Church of Christ the King. 

Content that keeps Mothership.sg going

??
This is Subtle Asian Traits - Singapore Edition

???
Australia's capital in Singapore?! Don't need to take plane. Have a g'day here.

?
What do you do when you're told that your days are numbered. And you are only in your twenties.

??
How to teach your mother to be the tech genius that she really is (so she doesn't keep pestering you with her 101 questions)

❤️?❤️
Hit (on) your friends at a human whack-a-mole here.